Shaming of Teen Shoplifter?

90 Comments
Reads 16311

By an edhat reader

I recently saw a Facebook post from a local business that included a photo of an alleged shoplifter. It's a teenager from a local high school, they posted a photo of his face and his school ID card with the full name.

I'm curious if readers think this is appropriate given the teen is underage. 

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a-1669838963 Nov 30, 2022 12:09 PM
Shaming of Teen Shoplifter?

Personally I think there should be consequences but leave it up to the police and the parents. Kids are dumb and do dumb things, the business shouldn't publicly shame them. Is it even legal?
Now if this was an adult, yes by all means but the business might find themselves liable for defamation if there aren't formal charges.

sacjon Nov 30, 2022 12:13 PM
Shaming of Teen Shoplifter?

Yeah, not ok at all. If he hasn't been charged and convicted, they shouldn't be posting his photo and name, even if caught red-handed. Not sure they could even if he was convicted if he's a minor. I'd have some serious words with the owner if they did this to my kid, well.... after I had some words and punishments meted with my kid!

a-1669840202 Nov 30, 2022 12:30 PM
Shaming of Teen Shoplifter?

I agree with you it isn't right that they posted his name and photo, but to be clear, it is absolutely legal. They took the photo, therefore they own the rights to it. It is not illegal to photograph minors in public, nor is it illegal to post those photos.

sacjon Nov 30, 2022 12:47 PM
Shaming of Teen Shoplifter?

12:30 - yeah, I suppose it is, since there's no expectation of privacy, but this is lame. Doesn't seem they even called the cops, just shamed him for trying to steal. If I were his dad, I'd be in bear mode right now on the owner though.

ZeroHawk Nov 30, 2022 01:48 PM
Shaming of Teen Shoplifter?

just because you snap a pic of someone, doesn't give you any rites to ownership of an image of someone else, without their permission.

ZeroHawk Nov 30, 2022 01:49 PM
Shaming of Teen Shoplifter?

i agree with you Sac. If one of my kids did this, i'd deal with them personally, but if a store manager did this online to my kid? that's over stepping huge boundaries....poppa bear claws out indeed. there is no reason to go online and shame a child for making a bad decision.

a-1669871235 Nov 30, 2022 09:07 PM
Shaming of Teen Shoplifter?

ZERO, that's not true. The legal owner of the photo is the person who took the photo, not the people in them.

doulie Dec 01, 2022 08:42 AM
Shaming of Teen Shoplifter?

ZERO - Check with your law enforcement friends, no crime committed relative to the photo. A judgement issue regarding the posting and that's about as far as this goes.

ZeroHawk Dec 02, 2022 10:00 AM
Shaming of Teen Shoplifter?

Doulie, taking photos of someone elses child and posting it online with information about the kid and you don't think that is illegal? I really want you to think about that....and yes it is illegal.

Alexblue Dec 02, 2022 11:16 AM
Shaming of Teen Shoplifter?

Zero--actually, you can take a picture of someone on your property or in public and you own the picture and have the legal right to do so. This has been well adjudicated.

Channelfog Nov 30, 2022 12:19 PM
Shaming of Teen Shoplifter?

A minor? No, case closed. Deal with the parents/guardian, but do not post publicly unless it is an adult.

patrick Nov 30, 2022 12:23 PM
Shaming of Teen Shoplifter?

Not okay. Feel free to post the name of the business so that we can publicly shame them.

sacjon Nov 30, 2022 12:25 PM
Shaming of Teen Shoplifter?

Patrick - the Facebook post is in the link above. He's barely 14 it seems. Not ok at all.

a-1669840032 Nov 30, 2022 12:27 PM
Shaming of Teen Shoplifter?

Well, now 1000x more people are going to see it since you posted the link...

a-1669840275 Nov 30, 2022 12:31 PM
Shaming of Teen Shoplifter?

It's Lighthouse Skate Shop in SB. The parents should contact the store owners and demand they remove it ASAP.

Golffoxtrotyankee Nov 30, 2022 12:52 PM
Shaming of Teen Shoplifter?

The parents should contact the store owners and demand they remove it ASAP. Lol how about teach your kid not to steal ASAP!! wow smh just sad.

SBSand Nov 30, 2022 12:52 PM
Shaming of Teen Shoplifter?

Kid looks high as a kite in the post. It's still not ok to post his pic and name, public shaming of a minor is not really a great way for a business to behave. Maybe the business owners are trying to garner sympathy and attention but if it was my kid, after I grounded him and had my own consequences, I would be talking via an attorney to those store owners

a-1669841636 Nov 30, 2022 12:53 PM
Shaming of Teen Shoplifter?

"Kids shouldn't be publicly shamed" *proceeds to publicly accuse said kid of doing drugs* ???

SBSand Nov 30, 2022 01:43 PM
Shaming of Teen Shoplifter?

He looks high... I'm not shaming him, just making an observation based on my life experience, I don't know if he is high, maybe that's his remorseful sad face?

Basicinfo805 Nov 30, 2022 12:57 PM
Shaming of Teen Shoplifter?

Obviously not ok, what a lame move. Another example of social media sucking.

a-1669842670 Nov 30, 2022 01:11 PM
Shaming of Teen Shoplifter?

Without regard to whether the kid took something or not, there is a lawsuit possible against the publisher for "intentional infliction of emotional harm" on this kid. Look at the lawsuit now being considered against Stanford University for simply notifying a student that they would have to show up before a student disciplinary process to explain an apparent assault on another student. There is no need to go to this extreme in humiliating a child. In fact the store seems the more childish party here.

sacjon Nov 30, 2022 02:30 PM
Shaming of Teen Shoplifter?

"In fact the store seems the more childish party here." - Absolutely. The adult thing to do would be call the parents and the cops (if needed or wanted) and allow them to deal with this situation, then ban the kid from the store. No need to shame him permanently on Facebook. 9th graders are usually about 14 years old, they make stupid mistakes, fall in with the wrong crowds, etc etc. Attempting to steal from a skate shop is bad and he should be punished, by his parents, not shamed in front of the entire Facebook community.

a-1669844376 Nov 30, 2022 01:39 PM
Shaming of Teen Shoplifter?

Guess the skate shop is sick and tired of little punk-ass thieves robbing them blind.

oops Nov 30, 2022 01:44 PM
Shaming of Teen Shoplifter?

How did they take the kids ID from him, by force? I hope the Skate Shop has good liability insurance….

CanyonKid Nov 30, 2022 02:49 PM
Shaming of Teen Shoplifter?

Who doesn't love a good shaming. Don't steal and you won't be in this situation. Thanks to the OP for bringing this to light.

100572P Nov 30, 2022 02:54 PM
Shaming of Teen Shoplifter?

whatever.... I don't see an issue with shaming him. You mess with the bull, you get the horn, that is what my generation was taught. All you people with your hurt feelings stuff. I don't think we need to avoid hurting peoples feelings, I think we need to teach people/kids how to work through and overcome embarrassment, shame, and anxiety.

Babycakes Nov 30, 2022 02:58 PM
Shaming of Teen Shoplifter?

Do not blame the store or their methods to cut down on theft. The person who would not have had his picture taken along with their school ID is the thief. Good chance the kid has learned a good lesson and most likely he will be kicked out of his private high school. Of course it could have been done differently, but it is what it is and he's not going to be stealing from THAT store any time soon. Lost income, lost jobs, and "insurance" does not pay for all of the theft. Look at how many retail stores in San Francisco have closed down due to rampant theft. I believe Walgreen's alone has shut down over 20 stores citing theft as the reason. Good thing this kid was not caught in Detroit, Chicago, New York, or a host of other wonderful cities where punks get the shizzazzle beat out of 'em for doing what he done did.

ConservativeSB Nov 30, 2022 03:08 PM
Shaming of Teen Shoplifter?

BIG NO NO on the company’s part. I was accused of stealing as a minor and they put my face and name in the newspaper. My family sued them and won easily.

a-1669852203 Nov 30, 2022 03:50 PM
Shaming of Teen Shoplifter?

Instead of trying to divert attention away from the naughty kid and to blame the business, perhaps the parents should take the opportunity to teach a lesson in making amends, like The Rock did: https://youtu.be/rziK_GSyqc0

fitz Dec 01, 2022 08:49 PM
Shaming of Teen Shoplifter?

I had to chuckle reading this comment. As an ex-Catholic school attendee (class of '61) , it brought back so many memories of Catholic school kids running amok!

x01660 Nov 30, 2022 04:49 PM
Shaming of Teen Shoplifter?

“Juvenile delinquent’ is a contradiction in terms. ‘Delinquent’ means ‘failing in duty.’ But duty is an adult virtue—indeed a juvenile becomes an adult when, and only when, he acquires a knowledge of duty and embraces it as dearer than the self-love he was born with. There never was, there cannot be, a ‘juvenile delinquent.’ But for every juvenile criminal there are always one or more adult delinquents—people of mature years who either do not know their duty, or who, knowing it, fail....
These children were often caught; police arrested batches each day. Were they scolded? Yes, often scathingly. Were their noses rubbed in it? Rarely. News organs and officials usually kept their names secret—in many places the law so required for criminals under eighteen."

~Starship Troopers

m2457 Nov 30, 2022 05:45 PM
Shaming of Teen Shoplifter?

I saw the post and as a parent of two, I see no problem with it. Again, as a parent, and of one who was a handful, my guess is that kid doesn't care either.

edney Nov 30, 2022 06:35 PM
Shaming of Teen Shoplifter?

Zero
Stores, gas stations etc take video of you all day every day and they own the footage. If you go onto their property and steal, they can put the footage out into the public. If you don't like it, you can sue, but all they have to do is have a notice posted by the door that noting that by entering, you acknowledge you are being filmed.
The State takes pictures of you at stoplights and anywhere in public right of ways where they have camera and you have no rights to the footage and no recourse

ParvoPup Nov 30, 2022 07:18 PM
Shaming of Teen Shoplifter?

Install a set of wooden stocks in the town square and we can throw rotted fruit at him. You know, like the good old days of colonial America.

sacjon Dec 01, 2022 08:26 AM
Shaming of Teen Shoplifter?

BASIC - interesting thing is, it's not along party lines.... for once! I agree with you and CONSERVATIVESB and some others I normally don't, and also see some more liberal posters disagreeing with me. Seems to be non-partisan. It's refreshing!

a-1670099237 Dec 03, 2022 12:27 PM
Shaming of Teen Shoplifter?

But I'll bet some who agree with ParvoPup's post truly agree that public stocks are a good thing...

Alexblue Nov 30, 2022 07:37 PM
Shaming of Teen Shoplifter?

Yeah, not god to put his face out there publicly. Talk to the cops, talk to the parents, figure out a way for the kids to make amends and learn from it and become a better person.

Seabird Nov 30, 2022 09:25 PM
Shaming of Teen Shoplifter?

What the store owner doesn't seem to realize is the power of social media to literally ruin lives. This kid (allegedly) did a stupid thing, but 100x more stupid is posting his PHOTO ID on social media. It's been shared dozens of times and this is a small town. As a parent, I truly hope they are sued and literally lose their business. A 14-year old kid is careless, but adults should not be this stupid.

Mebk Dec 01, 2022 05:34 AM
Shaming of Teen Shoplifter?

As a small business owner I get what they were trying to do. Get the word out don’t steal from us.we basically catch 1/2 of out thiefs. We call the police. This is a huge problem not only teens but adults. Most are not remorseful just pissed they get caught. This boy has learned his lesson and hopefully stops others from ripping off that store.

a-1669904576 Dec 01, 2022 06:22 AM
Shaming of Teen Shoplifter?

Online shaming may be the only way with this generation. Do the crime, expect face time.

a-1669908629 Dec 01, 2022 07:30 AM
Shaming of Teen Shoplifter?

No. Call the police, call the parents, admonish the kid and let him go...or get over it. Perpetual punishment (the internet is forever! And Google-able...) is not the answer. I think it is cruel and unusual punishment. This is why they got rid of public mugshots in CA, it's not right to societally punish someone permanently.

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